tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22979825.post4668000999429676044..comments2023-05-23T07:58:18.549-04:00Comments on Relentless Grace: My night with the Buddhists (in Pittsburgh)Robbie Schmidtbergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09198009060645096467noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22979825.post-16507880848260909312008-04-14T09:48:00.000-04:002008-04-14T09:48:00.000-04:00Zen Buddhism teaches that when you meditate one mu...Zen Buddhism teaches that when you meditate one must push all thoughts away and focus, the first thoughts that come to you are reflections of truth, and those are the absolutes. You must seek to live by what you discovered. <BR/><BR/>Christianity and Buddhism are two irreconcilable belief systems, being two foreign worldviews. We are not a mere manifestation of our soul, instead our Soul is ourself, Scripture teaches that. Our heart (soul) is spoken about numerous times throughout Scripture. A portion of that teaching is that "The heart is deceitful above all things" because of that reason we must not meditate on ourself, but who Jesus is in all his glory. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. <BR/><BR/>The Apostle James teaches that religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the World."<BR/><BR/>In the sermon on the mount and in Jesus' interactions with the pharisees, it is clear that the source of "undefilement" is not in ourselves, instead that is the source of defilement, but in Himself. Jesus is the source of everlasting life who changes our hearts.Robbie Schmidtbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09198009060645096467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22979825.post-36612091367908668842008-04-13T13:14:00.000-04:002008-04-13T13:14:00.000-04:00It is not looking to oneself that is Buddhist prac...It is not looking to oneself that is Buddhist practice, it is looking past the self. The self is only a construction. Is your soul your self? No of course not, you are a manifestation of your soul. An imperfect manifestation. In Christianity I believe you look at these imperfections as sin. In Buddhism we don't really call it sin but an unenlightened being instead. I believe if you can see your true self (i.e. soul) you can lead a more perfect and enlightened life. The practice of zazen (zen meditation) is a faith based practice much like prayer. Anyone of any religion may practice it without converting to Buddhism to deepen their religious practice. You are simply trying to become your purest and best self. What else is worship? Belief is not practice. Know.Sabre Bumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12034742480915565072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22979825.post-56007734560750199222007-09-28T08:16:00.000-04:002007-09-28T08:16:00.000-04:00Good post manGood post manAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com